Toasting Your Own Wood

[Kitchen]

So I am trying to simulate the effects of an Acacia wood barrel on a couple of different meads, but I can not find any Acacia wood cubes for home wine makers like with oak. So I found a few Acacia pen blanks and plan on toasting them myself. I am just wondering if doing this in the oven would be best? Usually Acacia barrels are toasted lightly, so I dont want to over toast them. Any advice?

I am drawn to Acacia since it has a more floral flavor that does not mute already present flavors like Oak. I plan on using a 100% Acacia in a Rhodomel and 65/35 bland of Acacia/Oak in a standard Mead, trying to simulate an Acacia barrel with light toasted Oak heads.

 

[Rice_Guy]

Toasting degrees are a function of time and temperature, ie you have some range on how long for what toast level. Next the higher the temperature the more charcoal flavor produced and the less uniformity throughout. ,,,,, If I used a gen mai chai roaster as a model (AKA Japanese coffee) I would not see significant browning reaction below 375F and I might run a 375F batch roaster someplace around one and a half hours. On the other end 550F would require a faster, highly mixed process as five to ten minutes and would still have a risk of some particles turning black/ charcoal flavor because of poor mixing. The factory compromise is the inside/ product sensor targets around 450F with a direct modulated flame blowing into the roaster. ,,,,, HUMM,,,, this is also a neat excuse for getting an infra red temperature gun which also can check carboy temperatures.

Practically speaking to get the most out of the wood i would look at a two stage process. The first being to dry the wood at 300F/ 130C for a few hours so that it is bone dry BUT hasn’t had much toasting (air fryer mode if you have circulation). Then switch to high temperature as with a propane torch fanning like in videos of of barrels being flamed, on a hard surface as a 400F preheated cast iron pan or wok ,,, while your partner is stirring the sticks ,,,,,, New technology method would try an electric air fryer which should be about 400 to 450F air temp for ? ,,,,, well I would break apart an oak pallet and work out the time/ process options as is predrying first worth the effort.

. . . I am just wondering if doing this in the oven would be best? Usually Acacia barrels are toasted lightly, so I dont want to over toast them. Any advice?

 

[Himatangihooch]

I have toasted wood for Pinot noir and tried some with Pinot Gris. I waited till wife was out, placed wood shavings on roasting tray and placed in oven under grill, soon toasting and some smoke, I placed roast tray lower and turned heat down , the result was “ Whoosh “ the wood exploded into flame. I grabbed gloves and the tray, but as I moved flaming tray toward exterior door, the flames lagged so were in my face, I threw the lot out the door but some landed on mat and made holes.
However I have toasted various woods successfully in mini oven roaster. And introduced it into wine for various times and amounts.
An Auckland uni student did a PhD on woods in wine, lots different then a blind taste test at wine bar, just with clientele. It’s on line.